Coach Finidi George has acknowledged that Rivers United must perform better than they did against Aigles du Congo of DR Congo if they are to progress to the group stage of the CAF Champions League.
Rivers United advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League after securing a narrow 1-0 aggregate victory over Aigles du Congo in Port Harcourt on Sunday and will face Black Bulls of Mozambique next month.
Finidi expressed satisfaction with the hard-fought win, noting that his side dug deep to progress despite missed opportunities.
‘We are quite happy with the victory. It was not an easy one but any day, anytime, I will take the 1-0 win because we are now through to the next round,’ Finidi said after the game. ‘In the first half, we had a chance that should have been converted to calm the nerves, but it didn’t happen. We saw lapses and mistakes because the players were a little nervous. We spoke at halftime and the response was better, though we still couldn’t take our chances. Towards the end, our opponents tried to shock us, but we managed the game well.
‘It was not our usual style because we have a lot of new players. They will improve with time. I am happy we qualified, and the players know they must give everything to overcome our next opponents.’
Also Speaking on the game, team captain Temple Emekayi also reflected on the tactical approach of the Congolese side, noting that Rivers United had to adapt as the game progressed.
‘The opponents came with a clear game plan. They wanted to sit back and catch us on the counter. They kept to this until the goal came. In the second half, they threw everything forward knowing it was their last chance. With the pressure, we had to drop deep and defend our lead,’ Emekayi explained.
With the win, Rivers United will now shift focus to their second-round clash against Black Bulls of Mozambique, a fixture Finidi insists will require total commitment from his squad as they continue their quest for a group stage spot.